In this fast paced world, the need of the hour is to stay alert and focused. With the culture of fast foods, instant snacks, packaged and canned items, intake of essential nutrients remains elusive. On the other hand, diet high on saturated fats and high sugar content is becoming popular by the day which is a major reason for laziness, drowsiness and lack of efficiency in day to day routine.
If staying alert and boosting your productivity is what you need, read on the following article to check out these 13 food items that will furnish you important nutrients to improve your brain capacity and sharpness. Get on with life on equal footing by improving your lifestyle and your diet and including the following items in your everyday meals.
Blueberries
Blueberries have been shown to contain many benefits and studies further suggest that they help boost memory and concentration as well. Stimulating the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain, blueberries contain a favorable mix of essential anti-oxidants, including elements such as proanthocyanidins, anthocyanin, resveratrol and tannins. While it helps to improve concentration for up to five hours, they have even been demonstrated to enhance focus and supply protection against dangerous afflictions such as heart disease, cancer and dementia.
Green tea
Green tea has two ingredients, caffeine and l’theanine. Whereas the ability of caffeine to boost alertness and focus is well-known and documented, the relatively lesser known l’theanine has also been shown to improve alpha-wave activity, which augment tranquility and helps releasing caffeine more slowly. When combined, the two elements helps improve focus as well as raise speed and accuracy. Thus, green is an essential and important addition to your daily routine if you are able to handle caffeine more easily.
Avocados
Concentration and focus depends upon the amount of blood flow to the brain and avocados have a proven effect to increase the same in a simple and delicious way. Avocados are sometimes called one of the healthiest fruits although their high fat content occasionally brings them a bad reputation.
They have been also been shown to prevent blood clots in the brain as well as improve cognitive function. Being a storehouse of highest protein and lowest sugar measure in any fruit, avocados, due to their creamy texture can be a great addition to your smoothies as well as an alternative for fats in baked products. Do try out this amazing brain food in your daily nutrition.
Leafy green vegetables
Along with helping protect your brain, green leafy vegetables significantly increase your brain power as well as your focus and concentration. Moreover, these incredible natural powerful-houses are carriers of Vitamin B which have been proven to stimulate memory, brain health and power as well as overall focus. As a bonus they also have folic acid which raise mental clarity and accuracy.
Studies conducted to compare individuals who had a serving of green leafy vegetables at least once or twice a day and those who don’t, revealed that the former group showed slower mental degradation even when other factors such as education, family, age as well as family history of dementia were included in the study.
Thus the effect of green leafy vegetables on brain and mental power cannot be ignored.
Fatty fish
Due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish helps in enhancing mental performance, assist the memory as well as influence the behavioral function. On the other hand omega-3 deficiency can lead to frequent mood swings, fatigue and depression.
Studies have even shown that fish enhances mood and concentration. For example, Salmon can improve focus in kids and it can even prevent cancers, stroke and tumors. The main fishes which are a good source of fatty acids are herring, salmon, mackerel, kipper, pilchards, sardines etc.
Water
Yes, you heard it right. Although water is not a food, but sometimes when you are in a need of refreshment, alertness and concentration, all you need is a glass of water. Water helps brain to give extra electrical energy to perform better and helping experience heightened clarity and creativity.
If you take coffee instead, it can give you that momentary kick of energy but in the long run it can dehydrate you, making you feel worse. So to put in a boost of freshness in your body before doing anything mental (or even physical), drink a tall glass of water. You can even squeeze lemon into it to give your drink that extra punch.
Dark chocolate
As with the green tea, so with dark chocolate, the ingredient (caffeine) that increases concentration and mental power is present in both the products. In addition to this, dark chocolate also contain magnesium which help release endorphins as well as serotonin, helping you feel good and enhance your mood.
However that does not imply that you overeat this delicious product. Excess of everything is bad is an old wisdom. Nevertheless, a small amount of dark chocolate is a definite bet to enhance your focus and mental alertness.
Flax seeds
Again flax seeds are high in the same ingredients mentioned in some of the products above-magnesium, vitamin B, and omega 3 fatty acids as well as fiber-which have been established to heighten your mental power, reduce weight and ultimately leads to focus. An exceptional food nevertheless, make sure to grind them well before eating. They are not a stand-alone product to eat but can be readily sprinkled on to many eatables like cereals, yoghurt, oatmeal and many other.
Moreover, due to diverse Indian traditions in different recipes, they can be put into good use in many other dishes as well.
Nuts
Nuts have long known to increase mental ability, enhance memory and mental power and boost concentration. These powerful natural products are an excellent source of vitamin E and antioxidants which helps in cognitive ability to deteriorate slowly in the old age. Nuts are also rich in amino acids and essential oils which again are an important gift to improve your overall focus and brain capacity.
Oatmeal
Breakfast is an important meal of the day and it is not for nothing that most of the doctors around the world stress on its significance. Breakfast eaters have lower prospects of developing obesity, diabetes and hypertension as compared to the ones who skip it or tend to skip it.
Start your day on a healthier note so as to remain focused, avoid hunger and putting on useless extra pounds. Instead of any tempting sugary meal, oatmeal is a great alternative that is lower in calories and let you feel fuller for a longer duration of time. You can add a punch to your breakfast by adding fresh fruits, flax seeds, nuts, yoghurt or any other yummy ingredients.
Since a breakfast of oatmeal let you stay active, alert, and energetic and focused through the day, it can be included in the list of foods that helps you concentrate.
Beets
Beets, those dark red colored but highly nutritious vegetables, which are an important part of salads have now been listed on the foods that help boost memory power. Beets are a source of nitrates that helps dilate blood vessels, leading to increased blood and oxygen flow towards the brain, thus causing an improved brain function.
Beets can be taken either in salads or sandwiches or one can roast them and consumed with honey or drink their juice for an improved mental performance. Since so many benefits of beets are now coming to light, it will not be startling to see it becoming one of the trendiest food items in the market, endorsed by all.
Bananas
Bananas have so many health benefits that it is not surprising why so many doctors recommend it and why so many people have included them in their daily diet in one way or the other. Bananas relieve morning sickness and protect against diabetes, kidney cancer, osteoporosis and blindness. It can help relieve mosquito bite itch as well as assist in weight loss (and much more). On the other hand, it also makes you smarter and can play a vital role in keeping away and curing depression.
Bananas have a high quantity of potassium, which helps in enhancing cognitive functions and better transmission of messages inside brain. Popularly known as the “mood food” banana helps fight mood blues and promote a generally good mental health.
Bananas also contain magnesium, which helps to keep focus and memory and aid in better transfer of oxygen to brain which keep one alert and sharp. Thus, bananas are not only a monkey food but is a great source of physical and mental power and as such they must be included in your daily fare.
Eggs
Although a majority of people abandon yolk while preparing eggs, some professionals actually suggest retaining them. The whole of the egg, yolk included, is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are great food for better memory and concentration. Moreover, eggs contain another important ingredient called choline, a compound which promote and preserve healthy brain cells.
However eggs yolks should be avoided if one is suffering from or vulnerable to heart diseases. Eating yolks can harden the arteries of people over the age of 40 and can lead to other heart troubles.
Nevertheless, eggs are a recognized brain food and can help in significantly improving mental ability in terms of memory as well as sharpness.
Other Things: Besides the benefits of above mentioned food items, experts offer advice to include some other important things in your routine to improve your mental sharpness and capacity. These are:
- Getting a good night’s sleep
- Regular exercising
- Meditation and relaxation techniques
- Keeping hydrated